Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-02-24


ly respected in Natal, and especially noted
for your discretion"
bowed and drank some whisky and wa
ter t. hide my confusion, for 1 am a modest
man-and Sir Henry went on,
''Mr. Neville was my brother"
''Oh." said, starting, for L now knew
who Sir Henry had reminded me of when I
first saw HIM. His brother was much
smaller man and had dark beard, but now
L thought OF it, he possessed eyes Of the
same shade OF gray and with the same keen
look IN them, and the features, too, were not
unlike.
''He was" went on Sir Henry, 'smy only
and younger brother, and till five wears ago
did not suppose we were ever a month
away from each other. But just about five
years ago a misfortune befell Us, as some
times does happen in families. We had
quarTeled bitterly, and / behaved very I'M
justly to my brother in my anger.' Here
Captain Good nodded his head vigorously to
himself. The ship gave big roll just then,
so that the looking glass. which was fixed
opposite US to starboard, was for a moment
nearly over our heads, and as L was sitting
with my hands in my pockets and staring
upward, could see him nodding like any
thing.
GAS I dare say you know" went on Sir
Henry, ''if man dies interstate, and has no
property but land, real property it is called
in England, it all descends to his eldest son.
1t so happened that just at the time when
we quarreled our father died intestate. He
had put off making his will until it was too
late. The result was that my brother, who
had not been brought up to any profession,
was left without q penny. Of course it
would have been my duty to provide for him,
but at the time the quarrel between us was
SO bitter that L did MOTTO my shame [ say
it, (and he sighed deeply)-"offer to do any
thing. 1t was not that L grudged him any
thing, but waited for him to make advan-
ces, and he made none. am sorry to trou-
BILE you with all this, Mr.. Quatermain, but l
must make things clear, eh, Good?''
"Quite SO, quite So" said the CAPTAIN.
'Mr. Quatermain will, am sure, keep this
history to himself"
"Of course" said /, ''for l rather pride
myself on my discretion"
"WelI," went on Sir Henry, "my brother
had few hundred pounds to his account at
the time, and without saying anything to me
he drew out this paltry sum, and, having
adopted the name of Neville started off for
South Africa in the wild hope of making
fortune. This | heard afterward Some
three years passed, and heard nothing of
my brother, though [ wrote several times.
Doubtless the letters never reached him. But
as time went on l grew more ard more
troubled about him. I found out, Mr.. Qua
termain, that blood is thicker than water"
That's true" said I, thinking Of my boy
Harry.
II found out Mr.. Quatermain, that 1
would have given half my fortune to know
that my brother George, the only relation I
have, was safe and well, and that I should
see him again.
But you never did, Curtis" jerxed out
Captain Good. glancing at the big mans
face.
well, Mr. Quatermain, as time went on,
became more and more anxious to find out
II my brother was alive or dead, and if alive
to get him home again. L set inquiries on
foot, and your letter was one of the results.
So far as it went it was satisfactory, for it
showed that till lately George was alive, but
it did not go far enough.
So, to cut a long story short, made up my
mind to come out and look for him myself,
and Captain Good was so kind as to come
with me-"
YES" said the captain; nothing else to
do, you see. Turned out by my lords of the
admiralty to starve on half pay. And now
perhaps sir, you will tell us what you know
or have heard of the gentleman called
Neville"